leeks - how do you cook yours?

[storminabuttercup]

thats it really, got some in my veg box and i'm not that keen...how ho i spruce them up?

was going to make cottage pie with leftover beef tonight so could do with something to go with that...

Sliced, steamed and served 'au gratin' with some cheese sauce, popped under the grill to finish. Stir-fried briefly with some smoky bacon. Turned into a soup with potatoes....

Yeah chili the thing about leeks is (and i love them) the cleaning needs to be thorough; I split them down the middle and check for grit under running water or chop finely and wash in a colander.

Chop and sweat them for ages in butter and tarragon. Yum

I use leeks a lot. If worried about cleaning then I shove them in a jug an hour before doing them (upside down) with water - meant to draw the mud out but could be old wives tale from my mum. Then a slice them and rinse them in the colander

I use for:

soups (fantastic, highly recommend specially if you don't really want to eat straight)
risotto (with pancetta)
stir fried in a little butter (yum, but don't burn)
steamed and in a white sauce; if you can't be bothered to make a white sauce then with creme fraiche also very good

Sauté them with some steamy bacon chopped up, then add frozen peas and cook in a small amount of chicken stock....absolutely AMAZING

I tend to use them as a base ingredient so if making cottage pie - I would chop finely and then fry them with the onion.

I tend to use courgette/onion/leeks at the start of most of my meals.

Streaky, not steamy

This pasta sauce completely transforms them:

• chop leeks and wash very well
• sweat in some butter on low heat for a very long time - about 40mins, they should be almost mushy, add ground pepper
• turn up heat to caramelize them golden brown - about 5 min
• add cream, bubble a bit to thicken.
• add parmesan and pasta, toss.

wow - loads of ideas thanks!

They also work really, really well in mashed potato. You add the light green/white bits to the potatoes when they're cooking, make sure they're cooked until soft and then either blend or mash with the potato, adding a lot of butter. DIVINE.

I sweat them in butter & then mix them into the mash to go ontop of the shepherds pie.

I have a lovely Sphie Grigson recipe that involves shredding them lengthwise, then sauteeing them in butter with the juice and zest of a couple of oranges. Once most of the liquid has evaporated, stir in a spoonful of plain flour then add milk, salt & pepper.

Sounds weird, but make s lovely orangey-creamy leek dish. Freezes well too.

Sophie Grigson, even.

We use leeks loads too - our current favourites are leek and sweet potato soup and leek and chicken pie(like the Jamie Oliver sweet leek and turkey pie but with chicken and without the chestnuts).

microwave 2 mins
sprinkle with cheese
microwave 1 min

ta daaa!

Our favourite veg!
Cover with slices of parma type ham (I use the fab cheap stuff from Aldi/Lidl) and sweat - with tiny bit of butter - over a low heat. Meanwhile make up Risotto with lots of garlic and veg/chicken stock. Chuck in some leftover roast chicken if you have any. When ham is a bit crispy hack up and throw it all together with some parmesan cheese on top - amazing.
You could also put the leek/ham stuff over pasta with a bit of parmesan.
Also do chicken and leek pie - cook chicken (or use leftover roast) with garlic and leeks in a large pan. Cover with stock (I use knorr stock pots or Marigold Swiss Veg) and add a little cream - or boursin type soft cheese - if you like it a bit creamy. Whatever is in the fridge basically! Line a pie dish with puff pastry, fill with chicken/leek slop and cover with a hefty slab of pastry.

oh heck - too many to choose from

i'm thinking i mighnt sautee it with some savoy and then mix into some mash and have the meat re-heated in the gravy and have it with carrots. i had a similat meal in belfast when i was working there alone and lonely and it cheered me up!

Make leek and potato soup - delicious!

This dish from Tasty Diaries has become a fav in our house - quick, easy, delicious Fusilli with leeks & vintage cheddar

Nigella's roasted leeks are dead easy and wonderful.

Clean thoroughly and chop into 2 inch logs on the diagonal. Put in an oven dish and drizzle with oil oil and some salt. Put in oven at 200 for about 25 mins until they are just starting to blister. The flavour really intensifies and they become lovely and sweet. Lovely with roast pork or chicken.

THE BEST WAY TO EAT LEEKS:

1. Chop and sweat down with butter
2. Stir through 'enough' cream
3. Mix in generous spoon of grain mustard
4. Stir in big handful of chopped mint.
5. Die of happiness

I made this lovely leek and potato soup. Didn't put in the bacon or the butter but was still scrum.